jealous
- feeling resentment against someone because of that person's rivalry, success, or advantages (often followed by of): He was jealous of his rich brother.
- feeling resentment because of another's success, advantage, etc. (often followed by of): He was jealous of his brother's wealth.
- characterized by or proceeding from suspicious fears or envious resentment: a jealous rage; jealous intrigues.
- inclined to or troubled by suspicions or fears of rivalry, unfaithfulness, etc., as in love or aims: a jealous husband.
- solicitous or vigilant in maintaining or guarding something: The American people are jealous of their freedom.
- Bible. intolerant of unfaithfulness or rivalry: The Lord is a jealous God.
Origin of jealous
Examples from the Web for jealously
Contemporary Examples
Even in the West, the health status of top leaders has often been jealously guarded.
China Roiled by Rumors and Questions About Absent Heir Apparent Xi JinpingMelinda Liu
September 11, 2012
Sparta could not hold on long to naval dominion, but jealously tried to prevent Athens from regaining it.
In contrast, Israel has had nuclear weapons since the late 1960s and has jealously guarded its monopoly on them in the region.
Intelligence gathering is one of the most jealously guarded and legally protected authorities of a chief executive.
For nearly 25 years, I have jealously guarded the value of my brand.
Historical Examples
Just notice how jealously he watches her and makes the men clean her off!
The DownfallEmile Zola
Guard them jealously; in nothing, I implore you, act without their sanction.
HellenicaXenophon
He was jealously loved, but why she should be jealous, and of what, I could not tell.
Lord JimJoseph Conrad
They watch most jealously over the honour of their wives and daughters.
The Memoires of Casanova, CompleteJacques Casanova de Seingalt
They keep them jealously, and it is very difficult to get the real ones.
In the Forbidden LandArnold Henry Savage Landor
jealous
- suspicious or fearful of being displaced by a rivala jealous lover
- (often postpositive and foll by of) resentful (of) or vindictive (towards), esp through envya child jealous of his brother
- (often postpositive and foll by of) possessive and watchful in the maintenance or protection (of)jealous of one's reputation
- characterized by or resulting from jealousy
- obsolete, or biblical demanding exclusive loyaltya jealous God
- an obsolete word for zealous
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for jealously
jealous
adj.
c.1200, gelus, later jelus (early 14c.), "possessive and suspicious," originally in the context of sexuality or romance; in general use late 14c.; also in a more positive sense, "fond, amorous, ardent," from c.1300, from Old French jalos "keen, zealous; avaricious; jealous" (12c., Modern French jaloux), from Late Latin zelosus, from zelus "zeal," from Greek zelos, sometimes "jealousy," but more often in a good sense ("emulation, rivalry, zeal"). See zeal. In biblical language (early 13c.) "tolerating no unfaithfulness."
Most of the words for 'envy' ... had from the outset a hostile force, based on 'look at' (with malice), 'not love,' etc. Conversely, most of those which became distinctive terms for 'jealousy' were originally used also in a good sense, 'zeal, emulation.' [Buck, pp.1138-9]
Among the ways to express this in other tongues are Swedish svartsjuka, literally "black-sick," from phrase bara svarta strumpor "wear black stockings," also "be jealous." Danish skinsyg "jealous," literally "skin-sick," is from skind "hide, skin" said to be explained by Swedish dialectal expression fa skinn "receive a refusal in courtship."